The Limerick Lady 47: Helena Close & Marie Boylan, Co-playwrites, "we make each other better"

This month we meet Helena Close and Marie Boylan, the writing team behind brand new play "Red Army". Red Army is the flagship production for the Lime Tree Theatre in Limerick City, and is set to run from the 22nd to the 29th. The play centres on four women and their intersecting lives as they're drawn together by a shared love of Munster rugby, and the shared tragedy of the sudden death of Munster coach Axel Foley in 2016.  This episode we look at the on-stage visibility and representation of women over the age of 50, especially in the world of sports. We also explore how tragedy touches and effects us all differently. We discuss the collaborative process and how it makes us each better at what we do, through what we learn from each other. Above all, we discuss the highs and lows, the craic and the buzz that draws Munster rugby fans together.  Playwrights Helena Close and Marie Boylan said: "As die-hard Munster Rugby fans, Red Army is a play we felt compelled to write. It's a tribute to the club, the fans, the city of Limerick, and the late Anthony Foley. Bringing this story to life has been a team effort. From the crew at the Lime Tree Theatre; our director Pat Kiernan who understood our vision for the play implicitly; the stellar cast; and an incredible creative team. We began writing in 2017 and like a dogged Munster team we persevered and are thrilled to finally share Red Army with audiences as the first in-house production at the Lime Tree Theatre" Want to follow Helena and Marie online and find more of their work? As Helena says, "just google it".  Tickets for Red Army at the Lime Tree Theatre: https://limetreetheatre.ie/events/red-army/  Safe To Create: https://www.safetocreate.ie/ Ann Blake is a musician, facilitator and theatre-maker from Limerick City. Fellow Limerick woman and co-host Emma Langford is a singer-songwriter, podcaster and maker-of-things.  Follow Ann Blake on Twitter at annblake78, on Instagram at annblakeplay and check out  her band The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra on twitter at BPLO. Catch her other podcasts, 'Ann and Steve Talk Stuff' @annstevetalk and 'Three Things That Matter' #ThreethingsTM both of which are also supported by the Limerick Post Newspaper Follow Emma on Facebook and Instagram at emmalangfordmusic and on Twitter at ELangfordmusic, and get tickets for her upcoming shows and workshops at www.emmalangfordmusic.com/tour Find the Limerick Lady podcast wherever you get your podcasts, and follow for new episodes on the third Thursday every month The Limerick Lady Podcast is supported by the Limerick Post Newspaper, and sponsored by Ormston House Follow Ormston House at www.ormstonhouse.com Support the Limerick Post at www.limerickpost.ie This podcast usually goes out on the 3rd Thursday each month - the 'Thirdsday', if you will. Follow The Limerick Lady on Facebook at TheLimerickLady, on Twitter at LkLadyHQ and on Instagram at thelimericklady Tweet about us using #LKLadyPod so we can see what you have to say!  Intro music: Demon Darling by Emma Langford Outro music: Closed Book by Emma Langford